Tone-indicating device for violins



I; w. F. HAMES. 'TONE INDIC'ATING DEVICE FOR VIOLINS.

APPHCATION H LED OCT. 4. I920."

v U flept. 27,1921.

amen/[ oz Willa/221719022165 Moi/mu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. HAMES, 0F PROVIDENCE, BHODE ISLAND.

To allfwhom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, WILLIAMF. HAMES, a citizenof the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tone- Indicating Devices for Violins, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to an improved tone indicating device to-facilitate thetuning of stringed instruments, and has for its object to-provide such adevicewhichmay be connected to a stringed instrument, such for instance as a violin, viola, cello, bassviol, or other similar instrument, whereby the tensions of thefdifferentstrings of the instrument, may be j visibly. indicated.

The nature and advantages of the inven 1 1 tion 'will be better understood when the following detail'description is taken in con nection with -the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein Figure llisa top viewillustrating my improved tone-indicating device as applied to so" I the tailpiece of an instrument.

Fig. 2 illustrates the invention shown in i F ig.. 1 with the topplate. of the frame removed to better show the operation of the s rin -tension arms mounted thereon.

. Fig, 3 isa.transverse sectional elevation on-line 3-3 of Fig. .2. v A

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation on line 4+4. of Fig. 2. i

Fig. 5 is a view of the frame member in extended position, as cut from sheet stock.

is found by instructors who teach the violin and other similar, musical instruments, such as for instance the viola, cello, bassviol, and the like, very difiicult, particu-- larly where the pupil has not developed an,

acute musical ear,;t o.teach the pupil to tune the different stringsaccurately and to bring them up tolco'ncertpitch and to adjust them a; to tunewith eaohzotherl- Therefore to assist the pupil in this respect I have provided a device which will visiblyindicate whenthe tension of the different strings is; sufficient to bring them to the'proper pitch; and the following is a detailed description ofone means by which this result may be accom- T e frame-member of my impro tone ToNE-mmcarrmennvmr: FOR vIoLiNs.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept 27, 1921 i I Application ineaoctober 4, 1920. Serial No. 414,595. I r

passed for the purpose of clamping this.

frame member upon the tail-piece:

The upper and lower plates of this frame; member are spaced apart and through them. pins or posts '16 and 17 I have passed two also a stop pin 18. a

In order to provide meansfor visibly indicatingthe amount of tension on each individual string, I have provided a set of four arms. 19, 20, 21 and 22, each formed of a wire having a different degree of resistance tolcompensate for thedifierent degrees of tension required in the different strings to bringv them to the proper pitch The arms 19 and20 areooiled about the pin 18 and their ends 23 and 24Lare fulcrumed against the rear pin17 while the arms 21 and 422 are coiled about the pin 17 and their ends 25 and- 26 are fulcrumed against the stop pin 18. i 7 r I v The freejend of each ofthe'se arms is bent around to extend over the edge of theupper surface of the plate 10. and isbrought toa sharp point'and this plate is provided with graduations or tone setting points, as indicated at a, d, e, and g, which are the names vided with eyes 29 into which the respectivc strings 1, 6, d, and g are inserted.

It will be noted that my improved toneindicating device is complete in itself, all being mounted in the frame which is adapted to be readilyconnected (to the tail-piece-of an instrument and perform its full function without in any way injuringvor changing any portion of the instrument, and .thede vice may be as readily removed from the instrument after it has served itsuseful purpose, restoring the same to its original effectiveness,

In the operation of the device, it is only necessary to connect the different strings to the dlfferent extension members 28, then tension is applied to the different strings The device is extremely simple and prac-' tical in construction and effective in its op eration and by its use unskilled musicians may readily and'ac'curately adjust different strings of instruments to concert pitch and in tune with each other.-

The foregoing description, is directed solely toward the construction illustrated, but I desire it. to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim: y

1. A tone-indicator for stringed instruments comprising a set of spring" arms mounted on posts on the tail piece of .an instrument, means whereby the different strings of the instrument may be connected to said arms, and means on the device for visibly indicating when said arms have been moved'by the tension of the strings sufliciently to bring the strings up to their proper pitch. 7

2. A tone-indicator for stringed instruments comprising a set of spring arms mounted to swing substantially parallel to vthe plane of the sound board of the instrument on the tail-piece of an instrument,

said arms being adapted to have the diiferent strings connected thereto, and means to visibly indicate the pitch of each string caused by the movement of each arm under tension of its string.

3. A toneindicator attachment for stringed instruments comprising a frame supportedon the tailpiece of an instru ment, a set of spring arms carried by said frame and to which the strings of the instrument are to be connected, mea ns for readily securing the frame to the tail-piece, and means on said frame for visibly indi eating by the position of each spring member when the tension of its string is at concert pitch.

4. A tone-indicator attachment for stringed instruments comprising a frame supported on the tail-piece of an instrument, a set of spring arms mounted on said frame to swing substantially parallel to the plane of the sound boardof the instrument and to which the strings are to be connected, clamping means on said frame for readily connecting the same to the tailpiece, and means on said frame for visibly indicating by the position of each spring arm when the tension of its string is at 4 concert pitch.

5. A tone-indicator for stringed instruments comprising a plurality of spring arms ofdifferent degrees of resistance under tension and each adapted to have a string of the instrument connected thereto, indicating means on said arms to indicate the tension on each of said strings.

6. A tone-indicator for stringed instruments comprising a frame, a plurality of posts secured on the frame, spring arms on the posts and extending laterally therefrom,

each of said arms being adapted to have a string of the instrument secured thereto,

7. A tone-indicator for stringed instruments comprising a frame, a plurality of posts secured on the frame, spring arms on the posts and extending laterally therefrom, each of said arms being adapted to have a string of the instrument securedthereto, an indicator on each of said arms, and astandard point with which each of said indicators cooperates.

8. Atoneindicator for stringed instruments including a frame formed of a piece of sheet metal folded on itself to provide upper and lower plates, posts between the plates, spring members looped around said posts arms to each of which a string of the instrument may be connected, setting points on the outer surface of said top plate, and indicators one on each of said arms to cooperate with said setting points.

97 A tone-indicator for stringed instruments comprising upper and lower plates, posts between said plates and maintained in position thereby, spring arms extending laterally from said posts to each of which a string of said instrument may be connected, setting points on thetop plate, and means on the arms to cooperate with the setting points.

10. A tone-indicator for stringed instruments comprising upper and lower plates, posts between said plates and maintained in position thereby, spring arms extending laterally from said posts and each having different degree of resistance when under tension, each of said arms being adapted to have a string of said instrument secured thereto, setting points on the top plate, and means on the arms to cooperate withthe setting points.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. A

WILLIAM F. Harms.

and having outwardly extending 

